Savory Asian Ginger Beef And Snow Peas With Ramen Noodles

Looking for a delicious and easy dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights? Try this Asian-inspired ginger beef and snow peas with ramen noodles! It’s packed with flavor, combining tender beef with crisp snow peas and a tasty ginger sauce. The best part? It’s super simple to make and tastes fantastic. This dish is sure to become a family favorite!

If you’re a regular to the blog, you know I love making takeout-style recipes right here at home. This Chinese ginger beef and snow peas was inspired by my many trips to the Mandarin restaurant in Toronto years ago. I loved their version and had to make my own. That’s where this recipe idea was born. The rich brown ginger sauce is simple to make, and the only tricky part of this recipe is slicing the steak thinly. I am going to share tips for that. I hope your family loves this as much as mine does. 

​Are you planning on making this tasty takeout-style dish at home? It goes great with our shrimp and vegetable spring rolls.

Why You Will Love This Simple Ginger Beef And Snow Peas Dish

Flavor Explosion: The combination of tender beef, crisp snow peas, and a savory ginger sauce creates a mouthwatering flavor experience that’s hard to resist.

Versatile and Customizable: You can easily adjust the recipe to include your favorite vegetables, making it a flexible option for different tastes.

Budget-Friendly: This homemade dish is a cost-effective alternative to takeout, giving you a flavorful meal at a fraction of the price.

Let’s Get Started Making This Asian Ginger Beef And Snow Peas Meal

First, to make this, we need to head to our local grocer or butcher for a quality steak. We are choosing a steak with some marbling, which will render while cooking to create a deep beef flavor. The steak must also be of good size. I went with a one-and-a-half kilogram sirloin tip strip steak, a tender beef cut.

Next, you will, of course, need fresh snow peas. These can be costly, so you can switch them to an alternate green vegetable like broccoli. However, if you do make the snow peas, the flavor is out of this world delicious! You need a good amount to make this particular recipe, but if you feed less than four adults, you can cut the recipe in half just fine. If you are feeding a family, you must have approximately three cups of fresh snow peas. Remember to top and tail them and remove tough strings running down the center.

Can you get away with using edible pod peas if you grow them in your garden at home? Yes, absolutely. Choose ones that are on the smaller side as they are more tender, and the peas haven’t fully developed in the shell. That makes them a close runner-up to the snow peas variety I used for this recipe.

Once you are ready with all the ingredients, I recommend partially freezing the steak, which needs to be sliced into thin strips. It’s much easier to slice a steak like this versus a soft, raw steak. Make the cuts uniform across the grain of the meat. Cut the strips of thinly sliced steak into two to three-inch pieces. Add them to a bowl, and then add the marinade ingredients. The steak must be marinated for at least one hour in the fridge. Ideally, if you allow it to marinate longer, it will develop greater flavor. If marinating overnight, ensure it’s in an airtight container or baggy sealed to avoid foodborne illness.

The marinade is a simple blend of oyster sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, and sesame oil. It’s a small amount of marinade, but it works for this recipe. Stir the meat around so the juices are distributed throughout before being put in the fridge.

When the beef is resting in the fridge, you can start prepping the other ingredients. You will need beef stock, more oyster sauce and rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, white sugar, and cornstarch. Add fresh ginger and garlic. Mince both the ginger and the garlic finely, as these are the aromatics that will sauté with the beef.

Now that we’re all organized let’s wash the snow peas and peel and slice the onions needed for the recipe. The snow peas are being added whole, so no cutting is needed.

Add some neutral oil and a tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Add the aromatics and sauté on medium-high heat for a minute before adding the beef strips. Continue to cook the beef until mostly cooked. You will know when that is because most of the pink will be gone, and it will appear brown. Now, we want to add the onions so they can sauté with the beef.

While this happens, get down a large pot to cook the noodles. Depending on your family’s personal preference, you can make as many packs of cheap ramen noodles as you wish or use a higher-quality instant noodle. For the recipe seen here, I went super cheap with low-cost noodles. The sauce more than makes up for the low-end noodles.

It’s really important to not use the soup packets or flavoring pouches inside the noodles. I rarely do, so I keep them in a box for later use. Once the water is at a rolling boil, cook the noodles until done. Since instant noodles take only a few minutes to cook thoroughly, have a colander ready to drain them afterward. And do so when they are done.

Now look at those onions and stir them as they sauté and the meat continues cooking. The onions will start softening, and that’s your cue to add the fresh snow peas. Stir after adding the snow peas so they can cook somewhat. We don’t want them to get too cooked, so we will work quickly to mix the sauce ingredients now.

Measure the cornstarch in a small cup and blend a small amount of the beef stock into a slurry. This slurry is the thickening agent for the sauce, and it will be added last.

Next, measure the oyster sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, and white sugar. Add all of them to the beef and peas, stirring well. Add in additional beef stock and then mix in the cornstarch slurry. The thickening will happen quickly; you will want to keep stirring to prevent burning. After cooking for a minute, remove the pan from the heat as it’s cooked. All that is needed is to add the noodles. Give the whole dish a nice mixing with your pasta lifter or a set of tongs.

Serve this beef and snow pea dish with all its great flavor while hot at the dinner table to hungry family or friends and enjoy!

Ingredients:

Sirloin Steak: Provides tender and flavorful beef slices for the dish.

Snow Peas: Adds a crisp, fresh crunch and bright color.

Sweet Onion: Sautés with the beef to add sweetness and depth.

Oyster Sauce: Enhances the marinade and sauce with a rich umami flavor.

Seasoned Rice Vinegar: Adds tanginess to balance the flavors.

Dark Soya Sauce: Deepens the color and flavor of the sauce.

Sesame Oil: Provides a nutty, aromatic flavor to the dish.

Neutral Oil: Used for sautéing the aromatics and beef without adding extra flavor.

White Sugar: Brings a hint of sweetness to balance the savory flavors.

Fresh Ginger: Gives the dish a fresh, spicy kick.

Fresh Garlic: Adds robust, savory notes to the aromatics.

Ramen Noodles: Serves as the base for the dish, absorbing the flavorful sauce.

Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce to coat the beef and vegetables nicely.

Beef Stock: Is the base of the sauce, adding depth and richness.

Substitutions And Add-ins For This Easy Asian-Inspired Meal

Sirloin Steak: For a different cut of beef, substitute flank steak or ribeye. Alternatively, use boneless, skinless chicken breast as the protein. 

Snow Peas: Use broccoli florets or snap peas if snow peas are unavailable.

Sweet Onion: Replace with yellow or red onion for a similar flavor.

Oyster Sauce: Substitute with hoisin sauce for a slightly sweeter taste.

Seasoned Rice Vinegar: Use regular rice vinegar with a pinch of sugar.

Dark Soya Sauce: Replace with regular soy sauce, though it will be lighter in color.

Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil can also be used for a more intense, nutty flavor.

Neutral Oil: Any mild-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil works.

White Sugar: Use brown sugar or honey for a different sweetness profile.

Fresh Ginger: Substitute with ground ginger, but use less as it’s more concentrated.

Fresh Garlic: Replace with garlic powder if fresh garlic is not available.

Ramen Noodles: You can use any noodle or white rice as the base for this recipe.

Cornstarch: To thicken, substitute with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch. However, I recommend having cornstarch in your staple food pantry. It’s a very useful ingredient.

Beef Stock: Use chicken stock or vegetable broth if you prefer.

Consider adding additional ingredients to your Asian-inspired ginger beef with snow peas and ramen noodles to add more variety and flavor. Sliced red bell pepper can bring the dish a pop of color and a touch of sweetness. Thinly sliced or julienned carrots add a sweet crunch, while sliced shiitake mushrooms can provide an earthy depth. For a bit of heat, toss in some sliced chili peppers or a dash of red pepper flakes. Consider adding some chopped green onion for a fresh, mild onion garnish. 

Expert Tips, Serving And Storing Suggestions For This Beef Dish:

Tip #1: Slice the Beef Thinly: Partially freeze the steak before slicing it thinly against the grain. This helps get uniform, tender slices that cook quickly and better absorb the marinade.

Tip #2: Quick Cooking for Snow Peas: Add the snow peas toward the end of cooking to keep them crisp and vibrant. Overcooking can make them mushy and cause them to lose their bright color.

Tip #3: Marinate for Flavor: Allow the beef to marinate for at minimum an hour, ideally overnight, in an airtight container. This ensures the flavors penetrate the meat thoroughly, giving you a more flavorful dish.

This beef stir fry is a crowd-pleaser, ideal for family dinners and entertaining guests. The tender beef, crisp vegetables, and savory sauce combine to create a dish that’s sure to satisfy everyone’s taste buds.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, making it easy to enjoy this delicious meal again. This dish should not be frozen, and it will affect the quality of the vegetables when thawed and reheated. 

If you enjoyed this recipe, please rate it and comment below! Your feedback helps me create more delicious dishes just for you.